Footsteps echoed in a dark, narrow chamber leading to a metal door in the underground laboratory of Dr. Gray. Sealed windows reflect light from a full moon outside, allowing Wolf-E to navigate the iron pathway with ease. It was already past midnight, but the wolf genius was just getting started with his experiments. Wolf-E continued walking towards the door, his head full of thoughts. Hissing sounds can be heard beyond the top-secret room --a sign that something exciting is happening.
In the previous month, the wolf pack got a curious surprise. A notorious human criminal, widely known for grisly murders, wandered too far after escaping a high-security prison. Hungry and desperate to find shelter from the elements of nature, the murderer chased a young wolf through the grassy plains and entered the Wilds without a clue.
"Time for dinner!", the human exclaimed gleefully as he cornered the animal behind a huge rock, kilometers away from the road. He advanced slowly with the intent to kill, both eyes on the prize. Surprisingly, the young wolf did not seem to care. It sat on the ground, motionless and waiting for the human’s next move. The unfortunate human was about to pounce when something heavy and furry hit his head, knocking him down. The last thing he heard before going unconscious was the howling of wolves, as if laughing over his misery.
"What do we do with him?"
"Is it dead?"
"Everybody chill out."
"Did somebody call Dr. Gray?"
Murmurs can be heard from all corners of the dimly lit cavern. All seventeen Wolf Kings were gathered on a golden round table engraved with a wolf's head – the formidable Council of the Wilds.
Unbothered but somewhat impatient, the Wolf Kings curiously eyed the tied human on top of the platform that is usually occupied by Dr. Gray during secret chill sessions. The human opened his eyes with great difficulty and saw gleaming crowns ahead. He struggled but found that he was tied to a pole, unable to make an escape. He kept his eyes shut, imagining how the wild beasts would tear him piece by piece. He could hear them growling and howling, but not a scratch was felt.
"Careful! It might infect us or something." The Zombie King pulled the Bot King away, as the latter was about to reach forward and adjust the binds. "Seriously? Coming from you?", replied the Bot King with laughter. The two wolves playfully clawed each other, much to the annoyance of others seated nearby.
"Dr. Gray is on his way. We need to keep it sleeping." Wolf-E, Dr. Gray's most trusted assistant, shushed the council and made his way to the human. He held a huge syringe with glowing green goo on his paws, which illuminated the thin and trembling face of the criminal. "Sweet dreams.", Wolf-E mumbled nonchalantly as he inserted the needle and began pumping the liquid into the human system.
The human's eyes opened and glowed green before closing shut again, much to the surprise of the Council. His body was clearly relaxed from all the tension. Even the fine lines and wrinkles on the mortal’s skin smoothed out.
"Is that the magic liquid Dr. Gray is obsessed with? I heard he instructed his Wolf Bots to gather more meteorites," the Arctic King shared. "Why isn't he telling us anything?", asked the Lava King menacingly. It wasn't the first time the Wolf Kings questioned Dr. Gray's plans. In fact, some Wolf Kings have ordered their sneaky servants to stalk the wolf genius day and night, only to be disappointed with the results.
"Patience is a conquering virtue", a deep voice growled from the entrance. Heads turned as the shadow of machine-like tentacles entered the scene. Dr. Gray may have been gifted with intellectual supremacy, but his way with words is too old school for the taste of the Council.
"Stop quoting dead poets and tell us why we have a human in the Wilds", the Gold King demanded. Out of all Wolf Kings, the royal golden wolf seemed to be the one with the most authority. The other Kings nodded in agreement, looking at Dr. Gray as he approached the human.
Dr. Gray ignored the Council and murmured instructions to Wolf-E. Despite their excellent hearing boosted by the meteorites' power, the Wolf Kings did not catch up on the hushed conversation. Everyone watched in dismay as Wolf-E signaled the loyal Bots to carry the human out of the cavern. They can't do anything but to trust the Wolf Genius on this one.
"Finally! Somebody sensible to explain the situation!", the Gold King sneered loudly. He looked around the Council and silently urged them for support. Some nodded reluctantly, while others seemed ready to tear Dr. Gray apart. It was clear that there is a division between Council members, especially with the presence of a human in the Wilds.
"I am not bound to please thee with my answer", Dr. Gray said haughtily, making the Wolf Kings angrier. He signaled Wolf-E and his loyal Bots to carry the human out of the cavern and turned towards the exit. His path was immediately blocked by several wolves, stopping his escape. "Enough of your tricks! That human is going nowhere!", the Gold King ordered menacingly. His troops began flooding the cavern and all hell broke loose.
"Better? Are we not considered superior yet?", the Leopard King growled to challenge Dr. Gray. Others growled in assent, trying to make the Wolf Genius expound on his plans. Their efforts were naught, as Dr. Gray chose to ignore the question and continued his monologue.
"I will be working nonstop with Wolf-E and my Wolf Bots for a couple of weeks. Never look for me unless it is extremely urgent. All will be revealed in due course". With that, Dr. Gray left hurriedly out of the cavern, mechanical tentacles waving about.
"I think that magic goo is getting into his head. We never get anything coherent from him nowadays", the Teal King said, breaking the silence among the Council members. "This better be good", the Gold King said with finality and left. Other kings followed suit.
The week that followed was a blur to Dr. Gray. Poring over countless books from all ages and comparing formulations from world-renowned academics day and night finally took its toll on the Wolf Genius.
Completing the experiment chamber was successful, but splicing wolf DNA is another feat Dr. Gray is fixated on. Nobody saw his shadow for a few weeks, but the Wilds is buzzing with talk about what’s to come. The Wolf Kings are also adamant to get intel but the Wolf Bots kept their jaws shut, much to the dismay of the royals. Only time could tell if the plans of Dr. Gray will triumph over the suspicions of the Council.
Spending more hours underground than in daylight also affected Mr. Octavius. The tiny octopus had found permanent residence in between Dr. Gray's furry ears, changing the course of the wolf's life from being a mindless beast to an intellectual entity obsessed with the origins and otherworldly powers of the meteorites. While the wolf pack sees him as a squishy pet and nicknamed him “Octo” for fun, Dr. Gray has nothing but reverence and fondness for the tentacled critter.
“Enough with fur-pulling!”, Dr. Gray hissed in pain. Octo rolled his eyes as his master walked towards the underground laboratory. “We’ll have time for fresh air when this is all over”, Dr. Gray continued while the telepathic octopus shifted uncomfortably on top of his head. The enigmatic duo might clash in certain situations but one cannot function without the other. Octo frowned and eventually gave up on getting his master to go out and get a well-deserved break from the sleepless trials with wolf DNA. His last telepathic message about drowning in green goo made Dr. Gray chuckle before the two vanished behind the foreboding metal doors of the laboratory.
"Stop wasting that green liquid!", an agitated Wolf-E snarled at a Wolf Bot as he entered the underground laboratory past midnight. Tired and tense, the Bot carefully loaded a green capsule into the experiment chamber and made the necessary adjustments to ensure that the oxygen tubes don’t get tangled around the subject. The human inside the chamber was evidently alive, breathing while suspended in glowing fluid.
Wolf-E marveled at the skinny body that is already growing fur. The face, although at rest, has clearly changed into something wolf-like. Dr. Gray was already making rounds in the small yet secure room. He took notes of the human's vitals and loaded the data in a small computer to record the research progress. Octo can be found sleeping on his head amidst the fuss.
Wolf-E observed his master from the other side of the room, unsure what to make of his poker face. He seemed satisfied with the development. The lack of emotions did not surprise Wolf-E, knowing that Dr. Gray’s high IQ is balanced with a low EQ.
The loyal assistant signaled the Wolf Bots to leave the room and made his way to Dr. Gray. Before he could get close, the wolf genius spoke with silent intensity.
"For centuries, the wolf pack thrived unbothered; hidden yet happy…”
“The meteorites were our lucky strike; our chance to secure our species' survival. But through our progress with the captive human, we can be so much more. Do more than we could ever imagine. It is high time for the wolf pack to release inhibitions and embrace the legacy as Unbothered Wolves"
Dr. Gray paused as he felt Octo wake up from his slumber. Even the tiny tentacled creature did not want to miss out on the fun. Wolf-E smiled wide in triumph. Finally, the time and effort spent maximizing the utilities of the meteorites have not gone to waste. Disbelief and distrust from the Wolf Kings will surely disappear when the wolf genius makes the announcement.
"Soon, the world will know about LYCANS."
to be continued...
